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Mystic Falls , present day

"GRACE, you're beating yourself up over this. How could you think I would feel impartial towards you?" Nik was growing impatient with her, and he hated that he felt that way.

With a frustrated sigh, Grace snapped, "Oh, it's not hard, Klaus. You treat everyone like they're lesser than you and it's sickening. You want your hybrids so badly that you push away your actual family. How do you respond to that?"

There was silent tension for a moment. Niklaus was infuriated. But only because he knew Grace was right. She knew how to read him, which was why he was so taken with her.

With a sigh, Niklaus began to explain himself.

"Grace, you don't seem to realize the pattern, here. Do you not see that I reach out to you before anyone else? You are always my first choice, believe it or don't. Because you're reliable, and you never question me."

Nik paused, stroking his chin in thought. Grace was silent, still.

"Not to get too touchy-feely, love, but... I've been looking for someone like you for nearly a thousand years. If that makes you feel any better."

Grace simply raised an eyebrow.

"That's it? Thirty years later and that's all you have to say to me? You can keep your half-assed apologies, Niklaus. I don't want to help you right now-" "Wait, love. I can give you something in return. Aside from killing Katerina, that is."

For a moment, Grace contemplated. She reckoned with herself if Nik had anything to offer that would really be worth it.

"Fine," she said, "I'll hear you out."

Crossing her arms, Grace sat upon the front steps of Mystic Falls High School. After a brief moment, Niklaus followed suit.

"How well do you remember the 1980's?"

Las Vegas, Nevada - 1983

NIKLAUS paced in a circle around the balcony. He had no true desire to do this to Grace. It would destroy her as soon as she came off of the blood.

But that was what she wanted.

He turned back to Grace, her red eyes filled with desperation. "Are you sure this is what-" "Yes, Nik. I-I need it. Just for a little while. I trust you. After I help you, you help me."

Nik frowned, crossing his arms. Her eyes twinkled, even in the darkness. Grace's heartbeat was rapid with excitement, and likely the drugs.

"Well," Nik muttered, "it is your choice."

"I just need to... to forget. But I want you to promise me something, Nik. Please."

Niklaus nodded curtly, folding his hands in front of him.

"When you think I'll be okay, or if I turn into a raging monster, bring me back. Okay?"

He stood and stared at the girl, the beauty whom he had known for ages longer than she realized. Niklaus sometimes felt an endless remorse for always making her forget. Only after the twentieth century had he decided to stop toying with Grace. And that was because she finally had a real impact on him. She managed to make him feel a new emotion.

So Niklaus responded, "You have my word, love."

Grace nodded, with a small smile. "Do it now."

Niklaus looked away for a moment, through the sliding glass doors where he took in the nightlife. These simple humans had no idea. They had no realization that they would all likely be dead before the night was over.

He turned back to Grace. "Might I just add one more thing, before you go off the rails?"

Shrugging slowly, Grace said, "I don't see why not."

Swiftly and curtly, Nik leaned forward and pulled the girl into his arms, pressing his lips to hers with an almost regretful demeanor.

He finally pulled away, to see a shocked Grace.

"What in the-" "You're going to turn off all emotions, love. Your only desire will be for blood, and you will have no humanity," Niklaus spoke into her eyes.

For a moment, he hated himself for it. She would hate him for it. He just knew.

"And you'll only come back if I say so."

In an instant, Grace's eyes glazed over, and she looked around.

"You have your pick, darling. That rather round fellow looks rather tasty, hmm? The choice is yours-"

But she was gone.

Mystic Falls, present day

"I have fond memories of the eighties. Why do you ask?"

Niklaus offered an arm to Grace, with no forewarning.

"Let's go for a drink, shall we?"

"I don't know, I'm still kind of pissed at you."

Nik rolled his eyes, gesturing his arm once more.

"There are important things I have to tell. Things that will hopefully help you understand our, er... timeline."

Grace hesitated, and crossed her arms.

"This had better be a good explanation, and I better hear an apology along with it."

Unfolding her arms, Grace latched onto Nik's, and they were gone in a flash.

Coming to a halt once more, Grace was uttering every swear under the sun.

"I thought we were going in a car! Like normal people!" she exclaimed.

Nik shrugged, with a significant smirk.

"I thought you liked the element of surprise, love."

They entered the Mystic Grill together, still in their Roaring Twenties get up.

Sitting at the bar, Grace began to order something heavy, but then remembered how she could get when buzzed. Or drunk, for that matter.

Starting to say something, she was interrupted by Nik.

"She'll have a screwdriver."

Grace raised an eyebrow, unable to hold back her smile.

"You can remember my favorite drink, congratulations. I'm still not that impressed."

Nik shrugged.

"We have more important matters to discuss than your favorite kind of martini, so let's get on with it, shall we?"

"I'd say sure, but I don't know what you have to say."

Nik drank a bit of bourbon.

"Well, you'll notice that your memory may be a little foggy when thinking about the eighties. Only good things, really. But, there's a reason behind that. In reality, you became a mass murderer who made everyone sleep with one eye open."

Grace nearly spit her drink out.

NOTES
i know it's been awhile pls don't kill me i haven't abandoned all hope sorry